Control system for window lifters of a motor vehicle

ABSTRACT

A control system for a first window lifter adjusts a first window pane of a motor vehicle having a first drive, and for a second window lifter for adjusting a second window pane of the motor vehicle having a second drive, having a control device. The control device may be electrically connected both to the first drive and to the second drive for the purpose of energization. The control device may have a first sensor for determining a first adjustment position of the first window lifter, and a second sensor for determining a second adjustment position of the second window lifter, the first sensor and the second sensor being based on different physical operational principles.

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/479,856, filed 29 Jun. 2006 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,615,944.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The invention relates to a control system for window lifters of a motorvehicle.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Window lifters in motor vehicles serve to adjust the position of awindow pane within a vehicle bodywork, within a swing door, within atailgate or within a sliding door. In order, for example, to obtain adesired speed profile, a motor current of a drive of the window lifteris controlled by means of a power driver, for example a powersemiconductor. Furthermore, it is desirable to sense the position of thewindow pane in order to control the adjustment movement and/or acollision protection means as a function of the sensed position.

An example of a window lifter having a drive is described in Germanlaid-open patent application DE 43 02 143 A1. In this window lifter, thedrive motor has a rotor which can be displaced axially. When the drivecurrent for the drive motor is switched off, the rotor is moved into alocked position as a result of which the drive motor and thus the driveas a whole can be blocked.

DE 102 53 643 A1 is based on the basic idea of preventing a plurality ofwindow lifters simultaneously closing completely the window paneassigned to them. Instead, only the window lifter which first closes thewindow pane is allowed to close the window pane to an extent at whichthe window lifter motor is blocked and the blocking current flows. Allthe other window lifter motors are switched off with timing such thatthe window pane does not reach its completely closed position, butrather only an approximately closed position. As soon as a window paneenters this end region, a blocking signal is emitted by a control unitof the corresponding window lifter and is transmitted via a bus systemto all the other control units of the window lifters.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,253,135 B1 discloses a method for controlling aplurality of window lifters of a motor vehicle. DE 102 08 323 A1 relatesto a motor-operated window system for a vehicle. The motor-operatedwindow system comprises a window which can move between an open positionand a closed position. The motor-operated window system also comprises amotor which is coupled to the window, the motor selectively causing thewindow to move. The motor-operated window system also comprises at leastone switch and a communications bus which is coupled to the motor. Themotor-operated window system also comprises a processor that isconnected at least to the switch or the communications bus and isdesigned to selectively transmit at least one closing signal or openingsignal to at least the switch or the communications bus. Themotor-operated window system also comprises a sensor which is connectedto the processor and which senses states on which automatic closing ofthe window is based.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The invention is based on the object of specifying a control systemwhich is particularly suitable for window lifters of a motor vehicle,and in particular is adapted to specifications in automobile engineeringwhile being of as simple a design as possible.

This object is achieved by means of a control system having thefollowing features: a control system for a first window lifter foradjusting a first window pane of a motor vehicle having a first drive,and for a second window lifter for adjusting a second window pane of themotor vehicle having a second drive, having a control device; thecontrol device being electrically connected both to the first drive andto the second drive for the purpose of energization; the control devicehaving a first sensor for determining a first adjustment position of thefirst window lifter, and a second sensor for determining a secondadjustment position of the second window lifter; the first sensor andthe second sensor being based on different physical operationalprinciples. This object is also achieved by means of a control systemhaving the following features: a control system for a first adjustmentdevice for adjusting a first adjustable part of a motor vehicle having afirst drive, and for a second adjustment device for adjusting a secondadjustable part of the motor vehicle having a second drive, having acontrol device; the control device being electrically connected both tothe first drive and to the second drive for the purpose of energization;the control device having a first sensor for detecting a first collisionof the first adjustable part and a second sensor for detecting a secondcollision of the second adjustable part; the first sensor and the secondsensor being based on different physical operational principles.Advantageous developments are also the subject matter of dependentclaims set forth below.

Accordingly, a control system is provided for a first window lifter foradjusting a first window pane of a motor vehicle and for a second windowlifter for adjusting a second window pane of the motor vehicle. Thecontrol system has a first drive for adjusting the first window pane.The drive preferably has a mechanically commutated or electricallycommutated electric motor and advantageously a gear mechanism which isoperatively connected to the mechanics of the window lifter in order toadjust the window pane between an open position and a closed position bymeans of electromotive force.

In addition, the control system has a second drive which also permitsthe second window pane to be adjusted by means of electromotive force.Furthermore, the control system has a control device which iselectrically connected both to the first drive and to the second drivefor the purpose of energization. The control device is preferably anelectric circuit which is constructed of a plurality of components andadvantageously has a power driver, for example a relay, for drivingdrive currents.

The control device has a first sensor for determining a first adjustmentposition of the first window lifter and a second sensor for determininga second adjustment position of the second window lifter. The sensing ofthe adjustment position is advantageously indirect so that the positionof the window pane is not sensed but rather a movement of an elementwhich is connected to the adjustment movement of the window pane issensed, in particular a rotational movement of a shaft or of an electricmotor. The two sensors preferably sense a rotational movement that isdependent on a movement of the respective drive.

The first sensor and the second sensor are based on different physicaloperational principles. A sensor for determining the adjustment positionmay be based, for example, on an optical, capacitive, magnetic,resistive or contact operational principle.

Furthermore, the object according to the invention is achieved by meansof a control system which is configured to perform control processes fora first adjustment device for adjusting a first adjustable part of amotor vehicle having a first drive, and for a second adjustment devicefor adjusting a second adjustable part of the motor vehicle having asecond drive. The first adjustable part is, for example, a motor vehiclewindow pane, while the second adjustable part is, for example, a sunroller blind or a sliding door. The sun roller blind or the motorvehicle window pane is advantageously arranged in the same motor vehicledoor, preferably in the sliding door of the motor vehicle.

The control system has a control device. The control device iselectrically connected both to the first drive and to the second drivefor the purpose of energization. The control device has a first sensorfor detecting a first collision between the first adjustable part and atrapped object and/or for determining an adjustment position of thefirst adjustable part, and a second sensor for detecting a secondcollision between the first adjustable part and a trapped object, and/orfor determining an adjustment position of the second adjustable part.The first sensor and the second sensor are based here on differentphysical operational principles.

The first sensor is preferably configured to sense a drive movement ofthe first drive, and the second sensor is configured to sense a drivemovement of the second drive. The control device is advantageouslyconfigured for indirect detection of an impact by determining trappingforces acting on the drive in that, for example, a braking effect whichis brought about on the respective drive by the collision is sensed andevaluated.

In order to very largely integrate electronics of the control device, inone advantageous embodiment variant of the invention there is provisionfor the first sensor and the second sensor to be arranged on a singlecircuit carrier, in particular on a single printed circuit board of thecontrol device. A circuit carrier permits attachment of the sensors andfurther components and electrical connection by means of, for example,metallic conductor tracks made of copper. As an alternative to adimensionally rigid or flexible printed circuit board (circuit board)made, for example of plastic, resin or ceramic, it is also possible touse a circuit carrier in the form of a lead frame which is encapsulatedwith an insulating plastic by injection molding.

According to one preferred development there is provision for the firstsensor to sense a rotational movement of the first drive. For thispurpose, a rotationally movable drive element, for example a shaft of anelectric motor, has a sensor, for example an optical reflector. Thesecond sensor senses, on the other hand, a signal which has beenmodulated onto a drive current and/or onto a drive voltage of the seconddrive. The modulation is preferably provided here by the rotationalmovement of the electric motor of the second drive, advantageously byits mechanical commutation. The second sensor is configured here fordemodulation by virtue of the fact that it advantageously has a resistor(shunt) or a coil.

In one refinement there is provision for the first sensor to be based ona magnetic operational principle and the second sensor is based on anelectrically resistive operational principle. The first sensor isadvantageously a Hall sensor which is operationally connected to amagnet which is moved by a drive movement of the first drive in order tosense the drive movement. The second sensor is advantageously a resistoracross which a motor current of the second drive flows. Such a resistoris referred to as a shunt resistor. In this context, an arrangement ofthe shunt resistor remote from the drive is possible so that the drivemovement of the second drive can be provided by the control deviceitself remotely measuring the voltage of the second drive which dropsacross the shunt resistor.

The control device is preferably arranged with the first drive in afirst motor vehicle door, and the second drive is arranged outside thefirst motor vehicle door. The second drive is arranged, for example, inan area of the bodywork or in a second motor vehicle door. In oneadvantageous refinement variant, the control device is configuredtogether with the first drive as one assembly which can be pretested andinstalled in one assembling step.

In one preferred development, the control device has a first powerdriver for controlling a first drive current of the first drive, and asecond power driver for controlling a second drive current of the seconddrive. A power driver is, for example, a relay or a power semiconductorsuch as a field effect transistor.

The control device preferably has a computing unit which is connected tothe first sensor and to the second sensor. The computing unit isadvantageously a microcontroller or a user-specific circuit (ASIC). Atleast parts of the computing unit are advantageously integrated with thepower drivers on one semiconductor chip as what is referred to as asmart power unit. Alternatively or in combination at least one of thetwo sensors is advantageously integrated with the computing unit in acomponent housing.

In one preferred development there is provision for the computing unitto be designed to detect a first collision of the first window pane withan object or body part within a first adjustment path of the firstwindow lifter as a function of sensor signals of the first sensor, andto detect a second collision of the second window pane with an object orbody part within a second adjustment path of the second window lifter asa function of sensor signals of the second sensor. The signals of thefirst sensor and of the second sensor are evaluated here in order todetermine a collision.

If both drives are moved simultaneously, the computing unit is alsodesigned to carry out parallel evaluation of both sensor signals so thatin the case of a collision at least one of the two drives is stoppedand, if appropriate, energized so as to reverse in the oppositedirection. The computing unit is therefore preferably designed tocontrol a simultaneous adjustment process of the first drive and of thesecond drive. The measured signals of the two sensors are advantageouslyread into the computing unit here and assigned to the respectiveadjustment movement.

In one embodiment variant, the control device is integrated into ahousing, in particular into a gear mechanism housing of the first driveor into an electronic housing which is attached to an opening region inthe gear mechanism housing. In this context, the control device has anelectric terminal for the second drive. The electric terminal is, forexample, a plug for a cable harness of a motor vehicle which containstwo electric cables leading to the second drive.

According to one development, the control device is connected via a bus,in particular a CAN bus or a LIN bus, to a further electrical device ofthe motor vehicle. For example, this further electrical device is acentral control unit of the motor vehicle. This further electricaldevice is, however, preferably a further control device which isdesigned to energize a third window lifter drive, and advantageouslyalso a fourth window lifter drive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is explained in more detail below using exemplaryembodiments and with reference to drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a motor vehicle with two window lifters illustrated inexploded views,

FIG. 2 shows a motor vehicle with four window lifters illustrated inexploded views, and

FIG. 3 shows a first drive and a second drive for a window lifter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A first exemplary embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 1. In this exemplaryembodiment, a motor vehicle 10 has merely one vehicle door 11 and afront seat passenger door 12. In contrast, this so-called two doorerdoes not have any rear swing doors. The rear window panes are eithernonmovable or can be adjusted manually by a manual window lifter (notillustrated), for example by means of a crank.

The window panes of the front doors 11 and 12 are, in contrast,mechanically coupled to, in each case, a window lifter 140 or 240. Thewindow lifter mechanism is in turn connected mechanically to a drive 100or 200. The respective window pane can therefore be adjusted between anopen position and a closed position, and can also be adjusted into anydesired intermediate position, with electromotive force by means of thedrive 100, 200.

For this purpose the drive 100, 200 has an electric motor 120, 220 and agear mechanism housing 130, 230 with a gear mechanism. A control device110 is provided both for controlling a first drive current through thefirst drive motor 120 and for controlling a second drive current throughthe second drive motor. The control device has electronic components forthe purpose of control. In this context, the control device isconductively connected to a power terminal of the first electric motor120, and to a power terminal of the second electric motor 220 via an atleast two-conductor cable 1200.

This provides the advantage that, depending on the installation point ofthe respective window lifter motor, it is possible to use differentsensor triggering possibilities in an optimized way. In door controlunits which are integrated into the motor, the principle of the Hallsensor system is particularly easy and thus cost effective. If, on theother hand the installation point of the window lifter motor is remotewith respect to the door control unit, the modulation of a signal ontothe motor current is, in contrast, more favorable since it is notnecessary to lay any additional lines for a sensor. The use of differentoperational principles of the sensors permits simple and thus costeffective integration of different sensors into a housing. Furthermore,the use of sensors which are based on different operational principlesprovides the further advantage that this combined use of differentsensors allows the sensors to be selected in order to optimize theprocessor load. For example, owing to the smaller number ofcomputational steps a Hall sensor requires a lower processor load thanis required to evaluate current ripples of a drive which is arrangedremotely. Accordingly, the same processor can simultaneously bothevaluate the current ripples and the Hall signal edges of a Hall sensorwhich are easier to evaluate, with the result that it is not necessaryto use an over-dimensioned microcontroller.

FIG. 2 shows a second exemplary embodiment. In this exemplary embodimentin FIG. 2, the motor vehicle 10 has two rear swing doors 21 and 22 inaddition to the driver's door 11 and front seat passenger's door 12.Each door 11, 12, 21, 22 has a window lifter 140, 240, 14′ and 240′. Acontrol device 110 is arranged in the driver's door 11 and also controlsthe rear door 21 on the driver's side by means of an at leasttwo-conductor cable 1200. Analogously, a further control device 110′ isarranged in the front seat passenger's door and also controls the reardoor 22 on the front seat passenger's side by means of an at leasttwo-conductor cable 1200′.

The control device 110 and the further control device 110′ areoperatively connected to one another via a CAN bus link 1100 in themotor vehicle 10. The control device 110 preferably has an operatorcontrol device, in which case (remote) adjustment of a window pane onthe front seat passenger's side is also possible by means of at leastone operator control element.

The control device 110 is connected to the drive 100 via anelectronics/motor interface 113. This electronics/motor interface 113 isconfigured here to transmit a sensor signal and to transmit the motorcurrent between the control device 110 and the drive 100. For thispurpose the interface 113 has four or more electrical and/or magneticlines. The same applies to the electronics/motor interface 113′ betweenthe further control device 110′ and the further drive 100′.

As an alternative to an electronics/motor interface 113 by means ofcable, FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of an integrative exemplaryembodiment. A rectangular circuit board 119 of the control device 110 isinserted into the gear mechanism housing 130 of the first drive 100 andlatched in place. The control device 110 has for this reason a plugconnection 1211 which is integrated into the gear mechanism housing 130and by means of which the second drive 200 is electrically connected tothe control device 110 via a cable 1200 and via a further plug 1222 inthe second gear mechanism housing 230 of the second drive 200.

In order to energize the first electric motor 120, two brush holderseach with a secured brush 121 are soldered onto the circuit board 119.For the purpose of energization, the brushes interact here with acommutator 123 of the electric motor 120. The brushes 121 are connectedto a relay 117 via electrical copper lines of the circuit board 119. Forthe purpose of control, the relay 117 is connected to a microcontroller114 and can be actuated by it. Furthermore, a further power switch inthe form of a power field effect transistor 118 is provided on thecircuit board and is also connected to the microcontroller 114 in orderto control the drive current of the second drive 200.

Furthermore, a first sensor 115 and a second sensor 116 are solderedonto the circuit board 119 of the control device 110 and are connectedto the microcontroller 114 in order to evaluate the sensor signals. Thefirst sensor 115 is operatively connected to the first drive 100 inorder to sense a first adjustment position of the first window lifter140. For this purpose, a ring magnet 112 which has a number of magneticpoles which, through a rotational movement of the motor shaft 124,generate a magnetic field of alternating polarity in the first sensorwhich is designed as a Hall sensor 115 is mounted on a motor shaft 124of the first electric motor 120. The physical operational principle ofthis first sensor 115 is therefore magnetism.

The second sensor 116 is intended to determine the adjustment positionof the second window pane which is connected to the second drive 200.The second sensor 116 is a measuring resistor 116 with a value ofseveral milli ohms. Therefore, the physical operational principle onwhich the measuring resistor 116 is based is an electrically resistiveoperational principle. The motor current through the second drive 200therefore flows via the measuring resistor 116, via the power fieldeffect transistor 118 as power driver, and an electrical connection1211, 1200 and 1222 to the motor 220. The electrical connection 1211,1200 and 1222 can therefore be a component of a relatively complex cableharness (not illustrated in the figures) of the motor vehicle 10.

In order to determine an adjustment position of the window lifter thatis driven by the second drive 200, use is made, for example of a methodfor determining the rotational speed and/or the rotational angle inmechanically commutated direct current motors from the time profile ofthe ripple occurring during commutation in the motor current measuredwith the second sensor 116. The determination is supplemented andmonitored here by a motor state model which operates in parallel withthis and which is based on the electromechanical motor equations. Aprobable value of the current rotational speed is extrapolated from themotor current and the motor voltage and a permissible set point valuerange of the next commutation process is determined. If it is notpossible to determine a commutation time in the set point value range,the extrapolated value is used. Otherwise, the current rotational speedis determined precisely from the commutation time sensed in the setpoint value range. The motor-specific and load-dependent variable whichis necessary for the motor state model can be permanently predefined orrespectively adapted to the current rotational speed after commutationprocesses have been detected.

Incorporated by reference herein in their entirety are Germany priorityapplication number 20 2005 010 174.5, filed Jun. 29, 2005, and itscertified English language translation, copies of both of whichdocuments are filed herewith.

1. A control system for a first adjustment device for adjusting a firstadjustable part of a motor vehicle having a first drive and for a secondadjustment device for adjusting a second adjustable part of the motorvehicle having a second drive, the control system comprising: a controldevice electrically connected both to the first drive and to the seconddrive for the purpose of energization; the control device comprising afirst sensor operatively connected to the first drive for detecting afirst collision of the first adjustable part and a second sensoroperatively connected to the second drive for detecting a secondcollision of the second adjustable part; and the first sensor and thesecond sensor being based on different physical operational principles.2. The control system according to claim 1, in which the first sensorand the second sensor are arranged on a single circuit carrier.
 3. Thecontrol system according to claim 2, in which the first sensor and thesecond sensor are arranged on a single printed circuit board of thecontrol device.
 4. The control system according to claim 1, in which thefirst sensor senses the rotational movement of the first drive, and thesecond sensor senses a signal which has been modulated onto at least oneof the drive current and drive voltage of the second drive.
 5. Thecontrol system according to claim 1, in which the first sensor is basedon a magnetic operational principle and the second sensor is based on anelectrically resistive operational principle.
 6. The control systemaccording to claim 1, in which the control device is arranged with thefirst drive as an assembly in a first motor vehicle door, and the seconddrive, which is controlled by the control device, is arranged remotelyfrom the control device, outside the first motor vehicle door.
 7. Thecontrol system according to claim 6, wherein the second drive isarranged in a second motor vehicle door.
 8. The control system accordingto claim 1, in which the control device further comprises a first powerdriver for controlling a first drive current of the first drive, and asecond power driver for controlling a second drive current of the seconddrive.
 9. The control system according to claim 1, in which the controldevice further comprises a computing unit which is connected to thefirst sensor and to the second sensor.
 10. The control system accordingto claim 9, in which the computing unit is designed: to detect a firstcollision of the first adjustable part with an object or body partwithin a first adjustment path of the first adjustable part as afunction of a sensor signal of the first sensor, and to detect a secondcollision of the second adjustable part with an object or body partwithin a second adjustment path of the second adjustable part as afunction of a sensor signal of the second sensor.
 11. The control systemaccording to claim 10, in which the computing unit is designed tocontrol a simultaneous adjustment process of the first drive and of thesecond drive.
 12. The control system according to claim 11, wherein thesimultaneous adjustment process is an automatic adjustment process. 13.The control system according to claim 9, wherein the computing unit is amicroprocessor.
 14. The control system according to claim 9, wherein thecomputing unit is designed to evaluate the first sensor and secondsensor simultaneously.
 15. The control system according to claim 1, inwhich the control device is integrated into a housing of the firstdrive, and in which the control device has an electric terminal for thesecond drive.
 16. The control system according to claim 1, in which thecontrol device is arranged in a separate housing in a door of the motorvehicle, and in which the control device further comprises an electricterminal for the first drive and for the second drive.
 17. The controlsystem according to claim 1, in which the control device is connectedvia a bus to a further electrical device of the motor vehicle.
 18. Thecontrol system according to claim 17, wherein the further electricaldevice comprises a second control device for energizing a window lifterdrive.